Juanita Mae (Gjerde) OKLAND

OKLAND, GJERDE, ROBINSON, WISE, FLEMING, COMSTOCK, JOHNSON, HAGEN, RICE, CONTRERAS

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 2/10/2024 at 13:07:01

April 6, 1932 --- December 19, 2017

Juanita M. Okland, age 85, of Lake Mills, died on Tuesday, December 19, 2017, at the Lutheran Retirement Home in Northwood, Iowa.

Juanita Mae (Gjerde) Okland was born on April 6, 1932, in Forest City, Iowa, to Edward and Iona (Robinson) Gjerde. She attended Forest City High School, graduating in 1949. She, then, went on to earn a teaching certificate from Waldorf College in 1951. Thus, began a career spanning more than forty years of teaching in Fertile, Goldfield, Ledyard, Garner, and Lake Mills. She spent most of her years teaching first grade. In addition, during her time in Lake Mills, she furthered her own education through Buena Vista University where she earned a Bachelor’s degree in 1986. She retired in 1994.

On June 17, 1966, Juanita married Robert Okland at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Forest City. They had, just recently, celebrated their fifty-first wedding anniversary.

Juanita had a passion for animals and loved teaching her students about the cycle of the monarch butterfly. An active member at the Synod Evangelical Lutheran Church, she, also, enjoyed making and collecting dolls.

Juanita is survived by her husband, Robert Okland, of Lake Mills; her son, Mark (Pam) Okland, of Loveland, Colorado; her daughter, Jana (Mike) Hagen, of Lake Mills; five grandchildren: Kristi (Kevin) Comstock, Lacey (Matt) Fleming, Brooke (Nick Rice) Hagen, Zachary (Kayla Johnson) Okland, and Johnna (Bryson) Wise; six great-grandchildren: Lukas and Leo Comstock; Marisol (Jorge) Contreras; and Logan, Micaiah, and Stefan Wise; and three great-great-grandchildren: Annaniah, Miguel, and Nevaeh Contreras; as well as by nieces, nephews, other relatives, and friends. Juanita was preceded in death by her parents and grandparents.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 AM on Wednesday, December 27, 2017, at the Synod Evangelical Lutheran Church in Lake Mills with Pastor David Emmons officiating. Burial will follow in the Synod Lutheran Cemetery. Visitation will take place on Tuesday, December 26, 2017, from 5:00 to 7:00 PM at the Mittelstadt Funeral Home, 902 East Main Street, Lake Mills, and will continue for an hour before the service at the church on Wednesday.

http://www.mittelstadtfuneralhome.com/obituary/juanita-okland